Telangana government is pursuing a vision of doubling growth of life sciences sector in the State to $100 billion and help create four lakh new jobs this decade, Industries and IT Minister K.T.Rama Rao told BioAsia 2020, a three-day conference devoted to the sector that began here on Monday.

The approach to consolidate on Hyderabad’s emergence as a major hub for life sciences in Asia will be supported by the government’s Life Sciences Grid, a plan to create a network of infrastructure, stakeholders, skilled workforce and efficient processes.

With more than 800 pharma, biotech and medical technology firms, Telangana has a combined enterprise value of $50 billion, Mr.Rao said, adding Hyderabad’s share in national pharma production was over 35% and it also contributed to one-third of global vaccine output.

The Minister, who earlier presented the Genome Valley Excellence Award to Dr.Carl June, pioneer of CAR-T Cell Therapy for cancer treatment, said Hyderabad Pharma City project will be the largest initiative under the Grid plan.

Pharma City

All planning works to establish the Pharma City were complete. Statutory clearances, including environmental clearance were in place. The Centre has also accorded the project the status of National Investment and Manufacturing Zone. “We are very close to land allotments to industries,” Mr.Rao said.

Expansion of Genome Valley Life Sciences clusters was another component of the Grid. Preparation of Genome Valley 2.0 masterplan was completed and “we are looking at improving the social infrastructure around the cluster,” he said. For the setting of B-Hub, first-of-its-kind scale up manufacturing facility in Genome Valley, the Centre’s Department of Biotechnology has agreed to partner with the State government. The project will be grounded in next two months and will feature a growth phase park, 200 L single-use scale-up manufacturing facility and also training as part of its mandate.

Med Devices Park

Figuring in the Grid plan was the setting up of country’s largest medical devices park, on over 276 acres, near Hyderabad. Within two years, over 20 companies were already setting up their manufacturing and R&D units, he said. Stating that Hyderabad, with its strengths in technology and life sciences, is well positioned to contribute to the global efforts in Digital Medicine Space, Mr.Rao said Telangana government is committed to building capabilities of tomorrow.

It plans to establish a world-class institution focused on curative therapies in Hyderabad in partnership with Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB). The institute will be engaged in affordable development and commercialisation of the new age curative therapies.

Network of innovators

Switzerland is the partner country for BioAsia. Addressing the gathering, Ambassador of Switzerland Andreas Baum said platforms like BioAsia offered scope for the network of innovators and exchange of ideas between the two countries to be grown stronger.

The session was witness to signing of an MoU for setting up of India outpost of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in Hyderabad. Industries Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and Peter Piot from the School exchanged the documents. Industry leaders, including Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Chairman Satish Reddy and Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw participated in the session.